Box-car-door fastener



Sept. 22, 1925. 1,554,279

' w. w. HELSABECK BOX CAR DOOR FASTENER Filed Jan. 12. 1925 2 Sheen-Shut J gvwcnmz m'fnessew 98.6% amok I 3 4 4%Mu,

Sept. 22, I925. 1554379 w. w. HELSABECK BOX CAR DOOR FASTENER Filed Jan. 12. 9 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 22, 1925.

UNITED STATES WYATT W. HELSABECK, 0F TROY, NORTH CAROLINA.

Box-cAn-noon f rAs'rEnER.

Application filed January To all whom it may 00mm:

Be it known that I, TYATT W.v HELsA- BECK, citizen of the United States, residing at Troy, in the county of Montgomery and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Box-Car-Door Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention pertains to railway rolling stock, and has particular reference to im provements in box car door fasteners.

The primary object of the present invention is to generally simplify and improve devices of the above kind whereby the same will be extremely efficient and durable in operation as well as easy and inexpensive to manufacture.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a fastenerfor box car doors of the sliding type, the fastener being auto- 'matically engageable upon closing of the door so that minimum attention to the fastener on the part of the user is necessary.

' A further object is to provide means for facilitating sealing of the door in its closed positionso as to prevent unauthorized ac cess to the contents of the box car. 7

With the above general objects in view, and others that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and claimed.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate 1 corresponding parts throughout the several views, s

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a box car providedwith a door fastener constructed in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 1s a vertical sectional view, partly: broken away, of the device shown in Figure 1', thefline of section being through the door to the right of'the fastener shown in Fig-' urel, m

Figure 3 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 3+3 of Figurel, Figure 4: is an enlarged fragmentary'ele' vational' view of the fastener attached to the door and the adjacent side wall of the car, 7 v

' Figure 5 is a top ,plan View of the device shown in Figure 4,1

Figure 6 is a v1ew similar to Figure 4:

12, 1925. Serial No. 2,005.

with the door partially opened and un fastened condition, and

Figure 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the latch retaining element forming part of the keeper of the door fastener.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, 5 indicates the side wall of a conventional form of box car, which wall is provided with the usual door opening indicated at 6 in Figure 1. The present door 7 is of a size to cover this opening when in closed position, and is constructed of any desired or suitable material with a plurality of notches 8 in its upper and lower edgesfor reception of anti-friction rollers 9 that are journaled between pairs of metal strips 10, The pairs of metal strips are respectively secured against the sides or inner and outer faces of the door 7 adjacent its upper and lower edges, portions of the strips 10 extending across the sides 1 of the recesses 8 as shown more clearly in Figures 1 and 2. The rollers 9 project above and below the pairs of metal strips 10 and bear upon the inner surfaces of the webs of U-shaped rail mem-' bers 11 that are suitably rigidly secured in a horizontal position to the side wall 5 of the car, The rails 11 extend at the top and bottom of the car door opening from one side of said opening to a point beyond the other side thereof so that the door 7 is effectively guided from open to closed position as is well known in the art, and in order to limit the closing movement of the door 7 to its proper position, a stop strip 12 is rigidly secured in a vertical position at one side of the door opening as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 5. A flat protecting strip 13 is secured against the side of the car at the other side of the door opening so as to lie between the door 7 and the side wall 5 for preventing contact of the door with the side wall of the car and thereby insuring against marring of thesame when the door is slid from open to closed position or vice versa.

From the above it will be seen that the provision of anti friction rollers is made possible in a very simple manner and the re sultant structure is extremely durable. Fur thermore, it will be seen that the door will be efiectively guided'witha minimum liability of becoming wedged or stuck. The stop strip 12 terminates at its lower end above the adjacent end of the lower track or rail 11, and the ends of this rail are open so that dirt and refuse may be readily cleaned therefrom for preventing clogging of the track from this source. Any suitable means may be provided for limiting the opening movement of the door 7 to a position wherein the opening 6 is completely o'pen, and such means is herein shown in the form of angle plates 13 suitably secured to the wall 5 at points vertically aligned withthe inner ends of the tracks or rails 11 so as to engage the inner edge of the door 7 when the latter is completely opened. a

t The means for fastening the door in its closed position embodies a latch element and a keeper, the latch elementbeing preferably mounted upon the side wall 5 adjacent the stop strip 12, and the keeper being mounted upon the adjacent edge portion of the door for cooperation therewith. As shown, the latch element 11 is pivoted as at 15 to sui,t able inonnting plate or br'aeket 16 that is suitably fastened to the side of the car and against the outer "side of the stop strip. 12. The latch 14-. is thus mounted for vertical swinging movement and this movement is limited by a guide elementlT that is fastenedv to theouter edge of the strip 12, whereby the latch element 1% is normally disposed in a horizontal position. In other words, the guide memberli limits the downward swinging movement of the element 1 1- to a horizontal position and limits the upward movement of said latch element to prevent complete rotation of the same about the pivot1'5. It is noted that the latch element 14 will at all times lower to its normal position by the action of gravity.

As shown in Figure 6, the latchelement let projects from its pivot towards the door opening and terminates at the adjacent edge of the latter in an upwardly and outwardly beveled end edge 18. The latch element thus does not project past the adjacent edge of the door opening and therefore has 'no projecting part liable to be readily damaged or struck by articles or the like which pass into and out of the box ear throi'igh it's door opening. The latchjelement 1 1 isin theuatureof an arm, which arm is provided adjacent its free end with an outwardly project ing lateral lug 19, the forward side of which is also outwardly and upwardly beveled as at 20. The purpose of beveling the portions at18 and 20 will presently become apparent.

The keeper comprises a suitable body 21 fastened to the door 7 and having upon its inner end an upstanding lug 22 to which is pivoted a vertically swinging latch retaining element 23. The latch, retaining element 23 is pivoted to the lug 22 so as to limit the downward,swinging movement of the latch retaining element to 'a horizon'tal position as shown in Figure 6, aplane above the norn a'l alane in which the latch element 1 1 lies.

he outer end of the keeper body 21 is provided with an upstanding lug 24 which lies in spaced relation to the door 7 .as shown clearly in Figure 5 so that the free end of the latch element 14 may pass between the door and the lug 21 when the door is closed. The lug 21 has a downwardly and outwardly beveled outer edge 25 adapted to be engaged with the beveled edge 23 of the lug 19so that when the door is closed the projecting end of the latch element 14- will pass under the latch retaining element 23 after which the faces 20 and -25 will engage sojas to cause the lug 19 to ride upwardlyon the lug 2 1. hen this takes place the latch retaining element 23 is lifted by the latch Celem'ent 14-, the latter being raised by riding of the lug 19 upwardly on the lug 24. This action is illustratedby dotted lines ii -Fig lire 1 and when the door is completely closed the lug 19 passes the lug 2t and the latch element 11 is allowed to drop to itslatching full line position as shown in Figure 4 wherein the l'ug19 is engaged behind the lug 24;. 11s soon 'as the latch element 14 lowers to its latching position the latch retaining element 23 will lower so asto rest upon said element 14 as is also shown in Figure t-. r

The latch receiving element 23 is provided with a lateral ear 26 upon its outer side, 'the aperture of which is adapted to align with an aperture in a flange 27 provided on the outer side of the lug 2 1 when the door is in latched position as shown in Figure 4:, whereby a seal may be passed through these openings for maintaining the door fastened. It is of course understood that the latch will have to be manually released although its latchingoperation is automatic upon the closing of the door. 7

From the foregoing description it is believed that the construction and operation as well as the advantages of the present invention will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the a'rt.

Minor changes may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of this invention as claimed.

hat I claim as new is 1. A fastener for sliding ear doors comprising a latch element pivoted for vertical swinging movement, means to limit downward swinging movementjof said latch element to a substantially horizontalposition, a keeper for the latch elementincluding a body having a latch retaining element 'pivoted thereto provided ,for swinging movement and limited in downward swinging movement to a substantially hqrizontal 'position in a plane above the plane of the latch element and cooperative means upon the latch element and the latch retaining element for *causing raising of the latter upon engagement of the latch element with the keeper whereby the latch retaining element overlies the latch element when in latching position.

2. A fastener for sliding car doors comprising a latch element pivoted for vertical swinging movement, means tolimit downward swinging movement of said latch element to a substantially horizontal position, a keeper for the latch 'elementincluding a body having a latch retaining element pivoted thereto provided for swinging movement and limited in downward swinging movement to a substantially horizontal position in a plane above the plane of the latch element, and cooperative means upon the latch element and the latch retaining element for causing raising of the latterupon engagement of the latch element with the keeper whereby the latch retaining element overlies the latch element when in latching position, said keeper including a lug behind which the latch element engages when in latching position.

3. A car door fastener comprising a keeper which embodies a body having a pair of upstanding lugs, one of said lugs being in spaced relation to the inner surface of the keeper body, a latch retaining element pivoted to the other lug of the keeper body for vertical swinging movement and normally assuming a substantially horizontal position so as to span the space between the two lugs of said keeper body and a latch elementpivotally mountedfor vertical swinging movement and having a lateral arm' adapted to engage behind the first named lug for retaining the door closed.

4. A car door fastener comprising a keeper which embodies a body having a pair of upstanding lugs, one of said lugs being in spaced relation to the inner surface of the keeper body, a latch retaining element pivoted to the other lug of the'keeper body for vertical swinging movement and normally resuming a substantially horizontal position so as to span the space between the two lugs of said keeper body and a latch element pivotally mounted for vertical swinging movement and having a lateral arm adapted to engage behind the first named lug for retaining the door closed, said first named lug of the keeper body and the lug of the latch element having cooperating beveled surfaces for causing automatic elevation of the latch element upon closing of the door until the lug of the latch element passes said lug of the keeper body and whereby the'l ug of the latch element may engage automati cally behind said first named lug of the keeper body when the door is completely closed. r

5. A car door fastener comprising a keeper which embodies a body having a pair of upstanding lugs, one of said lugs being in spaced relation to the inner surface of the keeper body, a latch retaining element pivoted to the other lug of the keeper body for vertical swinging movement and normally resuming a substantially horizontal position so as to span the space between the two lugs of said keeper body, a latch element pivotally mounted for vertical swinging move ment and having a lateral arm adapted to engage behind the first named lug for retain ing the door closed, said first named lug of the keeper body and the lug of the. latch element having cooperating beveled surfaces for causing automatic elevation of the latch element upon closing of the door until the lug of the latch element passes said lug of. the keeper body and whereby the lug of the latch element may engage automatically behind said first named lug of the keeper body when the door is completely closed, the first named lug of the keeper body and the latch retaining element having cooperating elements provided with seal receiving openings adapted to be aligned when the latch retain-- ing element is in latch retaining position.

6. A fastener for car doors comprising a keeper adapted to be secured to a car door or the like and having a pair of upstanding lugs arranged in spaced relation, a latch retaining element pivoted to one of the lugs and spanning the space between both of said lugs in a normal horizontal position, a pair of apertured projections adapted to receivea seal, one of said projections being provided' upon one of the lugs of the keeper body and the other of said projections being provided on' the adjacent free end of the latch retaining element, and a latch element having a lateral lug adapted to pass between the lugs of the keeper body beneath the latch retaining element when in latching position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WYATT w. HELSABEGK. 

